Central Michigan University
Oakland
Knapp, Underwood Lead Chippewas To Win in Home Opener
3/22/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich - Rachel Knapp has been nothing short of impressive in the circle for the Central Michigan softball team this season, and Wednesday's home opener against Oakland was no exception.
Knapp struck out 10 and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the Chippewas downed the Grizzlies, 3-1, at Margo Jonker Stadium.
It was the Chippewas' seventh-consecutive victory and 14th in their last 15 starts as they improved to 15-7. Oakland fell to 7-10.
"The team has played really well as a team and they seem to work together," CMU coach Margo Jonker said. "They're able to take criticism from teammates and coaches and utilize that to get better and give each other kudos when that's needed too."
It was the ninth consecutive win for Knapp (9-3), who has surrendered just three earned runs in her last 12 appearances, a span of 65 2/3 innings including four relief appearances.
She set down the first 12 Grizzlies in order, then issued her only walk of the game leading off the fifth. Mikayela Marciniak broke up Knapp's bid for the no-no with a one-out double in the seventh inning. The Grizzlies added two more hits, both singles, in pushing across their lone run of the game.
"Knapp obviously pitched extremely well," Jonker said. "I thought she did a really nice job setting them down early in the game."
Sophomore Erika Underwood put the Chippewas on the board with a leadoff homer to right-center field leading off the second inning. It was her second homer of the season.
"It was great to see Erika have a couple of outstanding situations for us." Said Jonker. "That home run was key and there was a great catch she had at the backstop on a foul ball. So kudos to her for really stepping up her game, the first year she's started and she's really doing a great job."
The Chippewas added two insurance runs in the sixth. Sydney Heath led off with a double, was sacrificed to third by Bella Robles and scored when Lacy Tolfree reached on an error. Tolfree took third on Allison Curtis' bunt single and scored on pinch-hitter Kaila Fulker's double.
Losing pitcher Haley Zemmer (1-4) struck out three over and walked one in going the distance.
Central Michigan will open Mid-American Conference play on Friday (3 p.m.) in the opener of a three-game series with Bowling Green at Margo Jonker Stadium. The teams are slated to play a doubleheader on Saturday (1 p.m.).
"We have a big weekend and we need to play better to get the W's we want to get," Jonker said. "This was a little bit of a down game for us, we need to step it up to play better this weekend."
